Twitter is designed for connecting with people and sharing information. While most companies are still debating if they should do it or what they should be saying on Twitter; others are actively involved with the Twitter’s community. Being on Twitter enables the brand who listens and acts quickly to benefit from opportunities, to test on a small scale concepts or promotions, to pinpoint what people really care about and even, to tailor to a new niche.

For those and many more reasons, I believe that a consumer brand who assigns one or two individuals to cover their social media on a full time basis can accomplish a lot to raise the profile of their brand. If small businesses can find the time to be on Twitter, I see no excuse for larger brands to not find a way to finance it.

What about ROI?

Many business people argue about the ROI on being on Twitter. But let’s be honest here. Nobody can really calculate the ROI of a billboard on the highways. Still, brands buy them years after years at a premium price. Why not reallocate the money of two billboard ad placements to social media for a year and then, see if how it impacts your brand’s reputation, your press coverage, your social media exposure, and yes, sales.

Brands who do it right

See how these companies in the hospitality embrace Twitter. They take initiatives. And some of the things they do are pretty cool! Look at what Roger Smith Hotel, an independent hotel in New York City, has accomplished. I read on Happy Hotelier that Chris Brogan talked on a 10-minute keynote speech he gave at Web 2.0 conference about how his affluent friends on Twitter suggested the Roger Smith Hotel when he asked for where to stay in New York City. Plus, you can hear his recommendation on a video (the Roger Smith Hotel story starts at about 2:22 minutes) on his blog and on You Tube. I could continue but Mashable wrote a convincing post about How Hospitality Companies are Using Social Media for Real Results. Go read it!

[…] On Why Consumers Brands need to be on Twitter, I mentioned that being on Twitter enables the brand who listens and acts quickly to benefit from opportunities, to test on a small scale concepts or promotions, to pinpoint what people really care about and even, to tailor to a new niche. […]